Education trade unionists call for improved working conditions for young specialists

The massive exodus of young specialists working in the education system could be stopped only if substantial wage increases are made and the working conditions will be significantly improved. The issue was debated by the members of the General Council of Trade Union Federation of Education and Science (FSEŞ), gathered today, November 22, at a meeting, in which they examined also the totals of the project “Young Teachers – opportunities and guarantees”.

Through this project, implemented by the FSEŞ, together with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, during the years 2016-2017 several meetings were organized in various localities of the country, where the problems experienced by young specialists were analyzed and various information activities were held.

In particular, the reported deficiencies relate to the level of payment, the ensuring young people with living space, access to qualitative communal services and informational technologies, endowment with teaching materials, setting up mentoring mechanisms for young teachers, informing on rights in the field of work relations, capacity increasing of Guidance centers in the professions formed within universities.

According to the presented data, although in the year of studies 2016-2017 the number of required staff was 1252, the number of young specialists employed by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research was 287. For the year of studies 2017-2018, the number of staff required consists of 1865 specialists and it is estimated that only 269 young specialists will be employed. According to trade unionists, the gap is currently covered by people over the retirement age who work in the system.

“The wages that young specialists receive are miserable. Recent increases are symbolical and do not provide a decent living. We train annually approximately 1000 specialists, but a small number of young people work in educational institutions. Already, subsidies do not stimulate young people to remain to work in the system. They just leave. How young people can work with such a salary in schools or kindergartens, when they should work under complicated conditions?! Teacher’s work is very difficult and the salary for a young specialist must exceed the minimum subsistence,” stressed the president of Trade Union Federation of Education and Science, Dumitru Ivanov.

The General Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, Igor Sarov, highlighted some issues related to the development of education and the salary of the staff. The rector of State Pedagogical University “Ion Creanga”, Nicolae Chicuş, attended the meeting.

The president of the National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova (CNSM), Oleg Budza, present at this meeting, said that the authorities should find the necessary sources to increase salaries. According to the trade union leader, these sources could be identified in the informal sector of the economy. “We are glad that the authorities are open to dialogue, but it is also necessary to find concrete solutions. We are concerned that pedagogues and auxiliary staff are leaving the system extensively and we will continue to be with the teachers. In December this year we will have a meeting with Prime Minister, Pavel Filip where we will discuss the problems in the educational system “, stressed the President of CNSM.

According to the president of the Trade Union Federation of Education and Science, Dumitru Ivanov, on Thursday, November 23, the leadership of the Federation will have a meeting with Monica Babuc, Minister of Education, Culture and Research, where the problems of young specialists will be addressed, as well as other issues related to the education sector.

We mention that after the protests organized by the FSEȘ at the beginning of 2017, from September 1, 2017, the salaries of the general and vocational-technical education teachers were increased by 11.3%. In a meeting with the trade union’s assets held in August this year, Monica Babuc, the Minister of Education, Culture and Research, underlined that this increase is a first step towards improving working conditions in the sector of education.

Department of mass media and international relations